Motivation to Action

Part I

Hebrews 10:19-25

July 29, 2001

 

As a pastor I live with an intense, dual-burden. The first is that the church might know the truths of Scripture. By this I do not mean simply that we have a neatly organized overview of the Bible, but a growing understanding of what the Bible teaches. I desire that we so study and dig into the Word that the message of Holy Scripture, and particularly the message of the gospel of Christ, might be at the forefront of our thoughts. In this we will see the great continuity of God's Word and all its doctrines summed up in the revelation of Jesus Christ and his redemptive work.

 

But the second burden is just as intense and is dependent upon the first; that we learn to live out the message of the gospel of Christ. To grasp the message of Scripture is to see its effects upon the life. One cannot properly understand the gospel without it having major effect upon the life. Granted, one can know much of Scripture in an academic fashion, learning the arguments of scholars and commentators, and be capable of debating it, yet still not know the gospel.

 

Our text explains that the motivation to action as Christians is grounded in one's understanding of the sufficiency of Christ. It is a combination of belief and behavior, knowledge and practice, head and hand. Knowing Christ results in a distinctly new life. Christians are called to action because of the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. How do we live as Christians in a sin-darkened world? Consider how our text explains the Christian's motivation to action.

 

I. Confidence

 

We often use the term, "turning point," to describe a change or shift that takes place. Historians use this kind of terminology to explain movements in wars and political empires. Scientists use it to express acceleration in their achievements to a desired goal. Sportscasters speak of turning points in athletic games. I think that "turning point" is a good term to use at this juncture of our study of Hebrews. For here we find the ancient pastor concluding his surgically efficient doctrinal explanations of Jesus Christ as our great high priest, and now begins a series of exhortations. He wants these Hebrew believers to apply the doctrine of Christ and the gospel to their daily lives.

 

We learn from this that the gospel is to be lived. It is not simply a doctrine to discuss but a reality that we are to live in day by day. The writer's use of "therefore" demonstrates just this fact: since Christ is sufficient as both sacrifice and mediator you can go on living in relationship to God through faith in Christ. You can now have "confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus."

 

The language beckons us to consider the context: a group of Jewish believers struggling over laying aside all trappings of the ceremonial practices of their religion for a complete dependency on Jesus Christ. Like their forefathers, they melted away at the idea of approaching the very presence of God. Visions of Sinai loomed in their thoughts with all of the smoke on the mountain, the clouds, the thundering sounds, and warnings not to touch the mountain where God's presence was manifested. The trek of the high priest into the Holy of Holies carrying blood to propitiate God's wrath, and then hurrying to get out while he could before wrath fell upon him, stood etched in their minds. To these Hebrews, God was unapproachable! Only the high priest had the chance to enter the sacred presence of God, and that was only one day out of the year, which he did with great fear.

 

But now, in Jesus Christ, all of this has changed! The writer does not hesitate by saying, "I hope you have confidence to enter the holy place," rather, "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus...let us draw near to God."  The confidence belonged to them because of their union with Jesus Christ who opened the way into the presence of God. Their "confidence" was a new boldness or assurance that burst forth in their minds upon grasping the sufficiency of Jesus Christ as their great high priest.

 

Can you approach God? With the commonly low view of God that prevails in our day, many think nothing of approaching God's holy presence. Let trouble come upon most anyone and he dares to approach God to relieve his distress so that he can continue living his own self-centered life. It is remarkable how absolute pagans can put on a spiritual veneer when trouble comes. I think of significant trying times in our nation, such as the Challenger explosion, the Gulf War, the Oklahoma City bombing. Men who had thumbed their noses at God in other settings suddenly expressed their prayers to God on behalf of people who had gone through great trial. Dare they approach God as though he was a cosmic slot machine awaiting a pull on his handle?

 

But how can we who are thoroughly sinful approach God who is infinitely holy? How can we, upon whom the wrath of God abides due to our sin, dare to approach him with confidence or boldness? It is a remarkable matter set before us, that God would open the way into his presence through his Son. We can approach God without fear of his wrath or concern for rejection because of Jesus Christ. Why do we need to grasp this truth? It is because some of us think that God accepts us because of our track record, our deeds, and our performance. We lure ourselves into a trap when we have this attitude, since when we think our performance is good we believe we have the right to enter God's presence; but when it is not up to par we shrink back in self-condemnation and spiritual depression.

 

Our writer explains the only basis for "confidence to enter the holy place," and that is due to the sacrifice and mediation of Jesus Christ. What he is helping us to understand is that as Christians we are to live every day in light of the sufficiency of our Lord. We are not to live in self-confidence upon our performance or deeds or great intellect, but we are to approach God and every demand He places upon us with a confidence resting in the sacrifice and mediation of Jesus Christ.

 

1. Due to Christ's sacrifice

 

Notice that the "confidence to enter the holy place" is clearly described as "by the blood of Jesus." We've already seen in previous studies in this Epistle that "the blood of Jesus" implies the bloody, sacrificial death of Jesus. It is not a mystical use of Christ's blood spoken of, but a dependence upon the fact that Jesus Christ died for you, having been "manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (9:26). We must never disassociate the blood of Christ from the sacrificial death of Christ. They are one in the same in biblical language.

 

a. Effect of his death

 

The sacrificial death of Jesus Christ actually did something that affects in both this life and eternity all who believe. Few people have come to grips with their sinfulness. We have the idea that there is a smattering of sin in our lives but perhaps think it of no consequence in relationship to God. It is those people who shoot innocent victims in banks or who kill their own children or who rob the poor that have no access to God. But our first century audience understood this was not so. They knew that every man is separated from God by his sin; every man deserves the wrath of God; and no man can promenade into the presence of God without his sin being addressed and God's wrath being satisfied. They struggled with looking to the blood of bulls and goats in the sacrificial system, blood that our writer clearly explained could "never take away sins" (10:4, 11), to open the way to God. But Jesus Christ, "by one offering...has perfected for all time those who are sanctified" (10:14). Now the way to God is opened for all who believe. The enmity that separates God and man has been removed through the sacrificial death of Christ. The result is "confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus." The use of the name "Jesus" stresses the humanity of Christ, as he stood in our place, representing us as a man before the just wrath of God.

 

b. Uniqueness of his death

 

Our writer amplifies this lest we get the idea that Jesus Christ's death is only part of what is needed to approach God: "by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh." Again he uses language of the temple as he mentions "the veil." You might recall that a four-inch thick veil of woven material stood between the holy place and the Holy of Holies where God revealed himself. The Greek in verse 19 actually calls the Holy of Holies, the holies (plural). There, God revealed himself. There, the priest entered into the divine presence to mediate for the people. The "veil" kept the people out, and prevented them from any consciousness of entering the presence of the Lord. But when our Lord died on the cross, the veil separating men from the presence of God "was torn in two from top to bottom" (Mark 15:38). The way to God was opened, not because the veil was torn—that merely demonstrated outwardly what had transpired before God—but because Jesus Christ was torn for us at the cross. The actual death of Christ, "His flesh," as the writer puts it, was the only sacrifice that has ever opened the way for men to enter into fellowship with God. It is the death of Christ that opens sweet communion with the Father for all who are in faith union with his Son.

 

For this reason our writer calls this "by a new and living way." Leon Morris explains, "It is "new" because what Jesus has done has created a completely new situation, "living" because that way is indissolubly bound up with the Lord Jesus himself" [Expositor's Bible Commentary: Hebrews, 103]. This "new...way" is the new covenant since the language of the word "new" actually means, "freshly-slaughtered." It carries the idea of sacrifice in it. The "new way" infers the uniqueness of the death of Christ in satisfying God forever on behalf of sinful men. The "living way" reminds us of the words of our Lord to his questioning disciples, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6). Paul declared that Christ "is our life" (Col. 3:4). It is not a vain animal sacrificial system that opens the way to God, but the sacrificial death of God's own Son, who became one of us, and who continues to live forever to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25).

 

2. Due to Christ's mediation

 

Much of this epistle deals with the subject of Christ as our high priest, so it is fitting that in helping us understand why we have confidence to commune with God that we anchor our confidence in our great high priest: "since we have a great high priest over the house of God."

 

a. Exalted in position

 

Jesus is distinguished from the long line of high priests in the lineage of Aaron by the adjective, "great." What makes him so great in the eyes of the author? Jesus is different from all the other high priests in that He alone is the eternal Son of God. He alone descended from heaven in the Incarnation and took up the humanity that he created.

 

The greatness of Christ's priesthood can be seen in "the unique worth of the sacrifice he offered" [Philip E. Hughes, Hebrews, 410]. The other high priests offered sacrifices; Jesus offered himself.

 

His greatness can also be seen in "the supreme glory to which he has been exalted" [Hughes 410]. He accomplished the work the Father sent him to do (John 17:4) and has therefore been exalted above the heavens and seated at the Father's right hand (Heb. 1:2-4; 10:11-13).

 

Is Jesus Christ your great high priest? Do you live in dependence upon Christ alone to bring you into the presence of God and to carry you into his bosom for eternity?

 

b. Exalted in practice

 

It is one thing to have a priesthood, yet another to exercise it over others. The ancient Israelites depended upon their high priest to offer sacrifice of atonement for them in the proper manner, but more so, they depended upon him to intercede for them throughout the year. He would enter the tabernacle with twelve jeweled stones upon his shoulder showing that he bore the people before God. He exercised great authority in their lives.

 

The high priest was just the shadow of what Jesus is the substance. He continually bears us before God in intercession and rules over us with kingly authority. "We have a great high priest over the house of God." The writer has already identified "house of God" as another name for the church of Jesus Christ (3:6), the redeemed of the Lord. Now we see that the priesthood of Christ exercises a continual rule over the people of God. He is "over the house of God," in that his priesthood is an actual rule over our lives. We might say simply, Jesus Christ is Lord of all and particularly Lord over the church. Do you live as one who knows his rule over your life? We have confidence to enter God's presence when we trust in the sacrifice and mediation of Jesus Christ.

 

II. Communion

 

Jesus Christ died for you so that you might have communion with God. Our writer has reiterated this through his epistle with the term, "Draw near." In 4:16, "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." In 7:25, "Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." In 10:1 he refers to the Jewish sacrificial practices in an attempt to "draw near," i.e., to come into to the presence of God. In 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes [draws near] to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who seek Him." In 12: 18, 22 the term is used to refer to coming into the presence of God, pictured metaphorically as Mount Zion and the city of the living God. And now in our text, "Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." The whole epistle breathes the air of entering God's presence to commune with Him. This is the first of three exhortations given in this paragraph in light of the work of Christ (cf. 24-25). It is the upward call of communion with God. What does this involve?

 

1. Divine presence

 

The call to "draw near" means to come into the presence of God, to commune with Him, to know the delights of His perfections, to sense the comfort of his nearness, to gaze upon his majesty, to bask in the reality that you belong to Him. It is the Christian's call to come regularly into the presence of the Lord. And we can do this because of what our Lord has accomplished for us in his sacrificial death. John Piper points out,

This is the center of the gospel...that God has done astonishing and costly things to draw us near. He has sent his Son to suffer and to die so that through him we might draw near. It's all so that we might draw near. And all of this is for our joy and for his glory. He does not need us. If we stay away he is not impoverished. He does not need us in order to be happy in the fellowship of the Trinity. But he magnifies his mercy by giving us free access through his Son, in spite of our sin, to the one Reality that can satisfy us completely and forever, namely, himself [www.soundofgrace.com/piper97/3-23-97.htm].

This is a call to prayer, a call to meditation, a call to worship, a call to praise, a call to live in the presence of the Lord; it is communion with the God who created you and redeemed you through his own Son's sacrificial death. It is the deep satisfaction of being in the presence of the One who created you and who welcomes you—personally—into his presence, having provided the means through his Son.

 

We have many interesting and helpful things available to us. We have automobiles, computers, and gadgets of every kind. We are able to travel, and to purchase necessities and even things we desire. We can be entertained any time of day or night through movies, video games, and amusement centers. But none of these things lasts! And none of these things satisfies the longings of the soul. Augustine's prayer, 1600 years ago, still stands, "You made us for yourself, and our hearts find no peace till they rest in you" [quoted by John Piper, The Legacy of Sovereign Joy, 68, from Augustine's Confessions].

 

You cannot draw near to God anyway you please. That is why our pastoral author has set forth ten chapters of doctrine concerning the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, so that we might know the only means God has provided to draw near to him. The "therefore" of verse 19 is a key in seeing this. It is on the basis of the unfolding revelation of the sufficiency of Jesus Christ as our great high priest before God that we can boldly enter into the presence of the thrice-holy God.

 

John Owen summarizes: "This phrase ["let us draw near"] encompasses the whole performance of divine, solemn worship.... So this drawing near includes all the holy worship of the church, both public and private, all the ways of our access to God through Christ. And the exhortation given for this duty is the first inference the apostle makes about the benefits we receive from Christ's priesthood and sacrifice" [The Crossway Classic Commentaries: Hebrews, eds. Alister McGrath & J.I. Packer, p. 211-212].

 

2. Regular disposition

 

The disposition of the believer, because of what Christ has done, is to be "with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith." Faith in Christ affects you from the inside out. You mind and heart is captured by the gospel and gives way to worship or drawing near to God's presence. But the exhortation aims for the believer's responsibility for approaching God with sincerity. "A sincere heart" means a true heart, one that is not encumbered with hypocrisy. It is true, as opposed to the deceitful heart of unbelief warned of in chapter 3. It is a genuineness of faith in Christ instead of the tendency to turn away from Christ warned of in chapter 6.

 

The "full assurance of faith" explains what he means by a "sincere heart." It is the heart anchored upon the sure foundation of Jesus Christ. The "full assurance" implies a certainty, that you have made certain of the Lord's calling and choosing you, as Peter wrote (II Pet. 1:10). It demands that you are not wavering or tottering in your faith in Christ, falling back upon man-centered means of approaching God. God does not accept our approach to him if we attempt to do so by means of self-perceived virtues or accomplishments. He does not hear us or accept our worship because of our performance, but because of what his Son has done in our hearts. So the writer is reminding us that this must be the disposition of the heart, one that is settled upon Jesus Christ as the only way to communion with God. Do you see this, that God has bid you to draw near to Him but only through the merits of His Son?

 

3. Eternal foundation

 

Rather than working up a level of sincerity of heart, this ancient pastor understood the tendencies we have to struggle. So he provided help for us in approaching God without hypocrisy. He takes us back to the cross and back to that time in our lives when our faith in Christ became so real that we declared it publicly: "having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." The tense and mood of the participial verbs (perfect passive participles) indicate a completed, past action that these believers received. They did not cleanse their consciences from evil or wash their bodies with pure water. This was done to them. We have a combination of both the inward reality of faith and the outward profession of faith in this statement.

 

First, he takes us back to the cross, back to the place of the one sacrifice for our sins that cleanses our consciences from dead works to serve the living God (9:14), and that was the sacrifice of Christ. Look back to Jesus Christ. Look back to the cleansing that he provided you through his own God-satisfying death. Just like the ancient priests that sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice upon the people, more so the blood of Christ has sprinkled you clean from living under the guilt of your sin. "The blood of Christ effects the purification of the conscience from dead works, powerfully penetrating to the very root of man's need" [P. Hughes, 411].

 

Second, he uses the phrase, "our bodies washed with pure water" to describe what is likely a two-fold practice: one inward and the other external. Water has been used to describe both the regenerating work of the Spirit (Titus. 3:5) and the application of the living Word of God in cleansing power to the heart (Eph. 5:26). Inwardly, you have been washed by the Holy Spirit's application of the gospel message to your heart. Outwardly, you have expressed this through water as well in baptism. So the writer does not hesitate to remind these believers of that joyous, yet solemn time in which they declared publicly their faith in Christ alone. It cost them dearly as they identified with Jesus Christ and the Church. Yet what joy they had as they passed through the waters of baptism, having buried their old lives in Christ and being raised to walk in newness of life through the regenerating work of the Spirit. Baptism expressed outwardly what the Holy Spirit had already applied inwardly.

 

Conclusion

 

There are several important applications I want to call to your attention:

 

1. The Christian is to live daily in light of the sacrificial death and continuing mediatorial work of Christ. He is both sacrifice offered once for us, and a great high priest who continues to intercede for us. Keep your eye ever upon that reality.

 

2. You are called to communion with God. This takes place in our worship, prayer, and meditation upon him. Do you make communion with God a priority? Jesus Christ saved you so that you might commune with the Triune God. Those things that we allow to hinder communion constitute sins that we need to turn from.

 

3. You are to approach God with confidence that Jesus Christ has borne your sin and cleansed your conscience. Ask the Lord for full assurance of faith. Be diligent to live in such assurance.

 

4. Your baptism is to be an encouragement in worship and communion with God. If you have come to know Christ through faith but have not been baptized, then you are to be obedient to the Lord in this, so that you might approach him as not only cleansed in conscience but obedient in baptism. Reflect upon your baptism as an encouragement to press on in faithfulness to Christ and to draw near to God in worship.

 

See the sufficiency of Jesus Christ and move into worshipful action as those who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

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